Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica
ISSN (print): 1224-2284
ISSN (online): 2392-6031
The journal Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica was established in 1983, at that moment as a volume dedicated to the memory of the reputed scholar from Iași, Nicolae Gostar. Though at the onset the journal was envisioned as a periodical, because of the financial and political difficulties of the era, its publishing only recommenced in 1995, having appeared regularly since then.
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica is edited by the Chair of Ancient History and Archaeology from the Faculty of History within the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, and publishes studies on the prehistory, ancient history and archaeology of, primarily, the South-eastern European area, but also of Europe and of the extra-European regions. After the first issue (1983), the journal underwent, as stated above, a steady evolution, to become one of the few Romanian publications with an up-to-date release schedule. The themes are varied, encompassing eras from prehistory to the Middle Ages and domains such as archaeology, prehistory, numismatics, epigraphy, anthropology, paleobotany, and paleofaunistics.
Interdisciplinary studies enjoyed appreciable consideration during the last years, on account of the facilities available in the laboratories of the Chair of Ancient History and Archaeology.
Starting with 1990 the journal established international collaborations, out of which special mention should be made of those with scholars from Bari (Rodolfo Striccoli, Marcello Marin, Luigi Piacente, Domenico Lassandro). These collaborations were later intensified by the contributions of the researchers from the University of Foggia (Renzo Infante, Gilda Sansone, Maria Veronese, etc.) and from other foreign universities and institutes (Konstanz, Trier, Innsbruck, Paris, Besançon, Udine, Haifa, etc.).
In conclusion, the journal focuses on ancient history and archaeology and benefitted from the contributions of prestigious authors from Romania or abroad. Worthy of attention is that internationally-recognised scholars have accepted to be members of the editorial committee (Svend Hansen, Christoph Schaefer, Wolfgang Schuller, Martin Hose, etc.).
Vol. 31, No. 2 (2025)
From Surface to Subsurface: Mapping the Chalcolithic Cucuteni Settlement of Muntenii de Jos (Eastern Romania) Using Remote Sensing Techniques
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 184 – 192 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-1 Radu-Alexandru BRUNCHI, Andrei ASĂNDULESEI, Casandra BRAȘOVEANU ABSTRACT While the site of Muntenii de Jos – La Biserică (Vaslui County) was first documented in 1910 based on surface finds, archaeological investigations were limited to a single field walk in 1976 that vaguely dated the settlement. In 2025, our team initiated a comprehensive non-invasive research project to map the planimetry, function, and chronology of this archaeological site. The investigation integrated guided drone flights for obtaining an orthomosaic, and a Digital Surface Model (DSM), while also conducting a detailed magnetometer survey using a 5-sensor gradiometer. Fieldwalking confirmed the site’s relative chronology to the Cucuteni A-B phase (4050-3800 BC). The combination of aerial and geophysical data within a GIS environment provided us with a high-resolution subsurface map of the settlement’s organization, which will prove vital for its future research and preservation. REZUMAT Deși(…)
Ioan Piso, Dacia Porolissensis. Potaissa et vicinia (Inscriptions de la Dacie romaine IV/1), Mémoires de l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, tome 64, Paris 2024, 409 p., 503 figures
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 397-402 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-9 Lucrețiu Mihailescu-Bîrliba Ioan Piso, Dacia Porolissensis. Potaissa et vicinia (Inscriptions de la Dacie romaine IV/1), Mémoires de l’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, tome 64, Paris 2024, 409 p., 503 figures FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)
Interview with Dr. Calliope Limneos-Papakosta, Director of the Hellenic Research Institute of the Alexandrian Civilization (H.R.I.A.C.)
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 387-395 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-8 Dr. Daniela Orzață Rediscovering the Royal Quarter: The Persistence of Dr. Calliope Limneos-Papakosta In this exclusive interview, we speak with Dr. Calliope Limneos-Papakosta, the Greek archaeologist whose vision and patience brought one of Alexandria’s lost stories back to light. We discuss her excavations in the Shallalat Gardens, where she battled high water tables and bureaucratic hurdles to uncover the foundations of a monumental building and a rare, original statue of Alexander the Great. Dr. Papakosta offers unique insights into the “school of Lysippos,” the location of Alexandria’s ancient Royal Road, and the enduring search for the city’s Ptolemaic past. FULL ARTICLE Download PDF (free)
Roman Amphorae (re)Discovered on the Territory of Iași Municipality
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 375-386 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-7 Ștefan HONCU, Sever-Petru BOȚAN ABSTRACT Over time, the territory of the municipality of Iași has been inhabited by different populations who used various products imported from the Roman world. From the analysis of the amphorae catalogued in this area, we have been able to establish the existence of six types of amphorae that transported oil and wine from the Pontic and Aegean areas. The containers can be classified into types known in the Roman world and north of the Danube, types Shelov B, C, type Zeest 69, type Agora M 273, and those less known in the barbarian environment, types Late Roman Amphorae 2 and Kapitän 2. From a chronological point of view, they can be dated to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD and the 4th century AD. REZUMAT De-a lungul timpului, teritoriul municipiului Iași a fost locuit de diferite populații care(…)
Glyptic Depictions of Tyche in Asia Minor
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 299-373 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-6 Ergün LAFLI, Martin HENIG ABSTRACT This paper is devoted to depictions of Tyche on engraved gems in Asia Minor, mostly dating from the Roman period. The aim is to create an iconographic typology for Tyche as represented in Roman glyptic art in Turkey, to reveal the development of the iconography of the goddess in the East and to distinguish more individualised images from the products of mass production. The study material is located in local museums, from west to east, in Izmir, Ephesus, Akhisar, Aydın, Marmaris, İznik, Burdur, Ankara, Konya, Amasya and Gaziantep in different parts of modern-day Turkey. 40 engraved gems, a glass medallion and a terracotta bulla with Tyche iconographies are here divided into twelve types which are presented with their compositions and chronologies. As a result of this study, a deepened iconographical analysis of these gems was constructed(…)
When Humans Saw Themselves: Ancient Greeks’ Perceptions of Non-Human Primates
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 279-298 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-5 Sebastián URIBE RODRÍGUEZ ABSTRACT This paper examines the role of non-human primates in shaping emotional experiences in ancient Greek culture. Moving beyond descriptive accounts, it explores how the relationship between humans and non-human primates reflected and challenged contemporary notions of anthropocentrism and anthropomorphism. By analyzing literary and visual sources, the study reveals how emotions structured the perception and representation of these animals, while also redefining the boundaries between humanity and the natural world. Non-human primates thus emerge as a powerful lens through which to interrogate ancient conceptions of self, otherness, and nature. In doing so, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the emotional, philosophical, and cultural significance of human–animal relations in antiquity. REZUMAT Acest articol examinează rolul primatelor non-umane în modelarea experiențelor emoționale în cultura Greciei antice. Depășind relatările pur descriptive, el explorează modul în care relația dintre oameni(…)
From Sippar to Sznak: The Urartian Bronze Lion of Syunik as Another Element of the Assyrian-Urartian Legacy
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 235-277 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-4 Roberto Dan, Nzhdeh Yeranyan ABSTRACT This study examines the bronze lion from Sznak within the context of Assyrian-Urartian artistic interactions. Through an analysis of its morphology, stylistic elements, and function, the research explores its likely role as a candelabrum support and its ceremonial significance in Urartian elite spaces. A comparison with Assyrian and Urartian lion imagery highlights notable iconographic parallels, particularly with the limestone lion head from Sippar, suggesting Assyrian influence on Urartian visual traditions. Rather than direct imitation, Urartian artisans selectively reinterpreted Assyrian motifs, integrating them into their distinct artistic and ideological framework. This study contributes to the understanding of cross-cultural artistic exchanges in the ancient Near East. REZUMAT Acest studiu examinează leul de bronz de la Sznak în contextul interacțiunilor artistice asiro-urartiene. Printr-o analiză a morfologiei, elementelor stilistice și funcției sale, cercetarea explorează rolul său probabil ca suport de(…)
A Microhistory of a Prehistoric Copper Artefact at the Foothills of the Eastern Carpathians
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 211-233 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-3 Neculai BOLOHAN, Bogdan-Ștefan NOVAC, Ana DROB ABSTRACT In which mention is made of an earlier investigation conducted along the Nechit stream valley, in the commune of Borlești, Neamț County, a contemporary field survey, and the necessity of providing a coherent narrative. The research team developed a theoretical and methodological framework, formulated a set of objectives, and adopted a cumulative approach—evaluating sources, understanding the working area, descriptive elements, typology and functionality, and the comparative method. All of this serves to reconstruct the varied history of a Pickelhacke, the principal actor in the reconsideration of terminology and in the inquiries concerning the function of an artefact discovered at the foothills of the Eastern Carpathians. REZUMAT În care se vorbește despre o cercetare mai veche pe valea pârâului Nechit, în comuna Borlești, județul Neamț, o investigație de teren actuală și despre necesitatea unei narațiuni.(…)
Dwelling No. 2 from the Settlement of Cucuteni-Dâmbul Morii, Iași County, Romania.
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(2): 193 – 209 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-2-2 Radu-Ștefan BALAUR ABSTRACT The archaeological research carried out in the settlement of Dâmbul Morii led to the discovery of 16 dwellings dated to the Cucuteni A-B phase. The present study centers on dwelling no. 2 not only due to its position within the settlement but also due to the complexity of the discoveries. According to the general plan of the settlement, we distinguish the central position of this dwelling in a group of structures arranged in the southwest area of the promontory. The archaeological research clearly revealed the presence of rituals that can be associated with those of the foundation of the dwelling and at the hearth level, but also the existence of cult complexes with related paraphernalia (altars, hearth-altars, cult tables, etc.). Moreover, the successive restorations of the hearth, as well as the two deposits of vessels in(…)
The Acts of the Church Synods of Orange (441) and Vaison (442) and the Role of the Bishop in Late Antique Gaul
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(1): 173-179 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-1-10 Martin ŠENK ABSTRACT This article examines the role of the Gallic episcopate in responding to the social and political crises of the fifth century, particularly through the lens of two early synods held in Orange (441) and Vaison (442). While the period was marked by the collapse of Roman administrative structures and the increasing vulnerability of local populations, the Gallic Church – and especially its bishops – began to assume key social functions that had been previously managed by the imperial state. The synodal canons from Orange and Vaison reveal early and systematic efforts by bishops to protect the poor and assert ecclesiastical authority over both spiritual and material realms. In particular, the acts emphasise episcopal responsibility for safeguarding Church property and the rights of the vulnerable, especially through the institution of ecclesiastical asylum. Canon 4 of the Synod of Vaison,(…)
Notes on Valentinian I’s Death, Valentinian II’s Elevation, and the Localization of Murocincta
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 31(1): 151-171 DOI: 10.47743/saa-2025-31-1-9 Péter KOVÁCS ABSTRACT In his paper, the author studies the problem of the identification of the late Roman imperial villa in Pannonia called Murocincta that has been several times identified with villa unearthed in Bruckneudorf, Austria. According to Ammianus Marcellinus’ account the future emperor, Valentinian II and his mother stayed in this villa when Valentinian I died in Brigetio in November, 375. According to the historian, the villa lied in a distance of 100 Roman miles from the place where the council was held about the elevation. As the young Valentinian II was proclaimed in Aquincum, the author came to the conclusion the council was held here that is why the identification of Murocincta is uncertain and all fenced (muro cincta) imperial villae in Valeria and Pannonia prima must be considered. The author examines the events of the year 375 as(…)
No XXXI/1 (OCT. 2025)
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CUPRINS – CONTENTS – SOMMAIRE
Articles
- Guram CHKHATARASHVILI, Giorgi TAVAMAISHVILI, Maia CHICHINADZE, Eliso KVAVADZE, Nikoloz TSKVITINIDZE,
- Yusuf POLAT, Rahşan TAMSÜ POLAT,
Traces of the Place of Water in Phrygian Religious Life.
- Florin MOȚEI,
- Larisa PECHATNOVA,
Herodotus on the Role of the Spartans and Thespians in the Battle of Thermopylae
- Lee FRATANTUONO,
The Shadow of Sextus Pompeius in Virgil’s Aeneid
- Ángel ALEIXANDRE BLASCO,
- Francisco Javier HEREDERO BERZOSA,
- Ioan PISO,
- Péter KOVÁCS,
Notes on Valentinian I’s Death, Valentinian II’s Dlevation, and the Localization of Murocinct.
- Martin ŠENK,
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